War Crimes Warrant Issued for Gaddafi

Today the International Criminal Court issued a warrant for the arrest of Colonel Muammar el-Gaddafi and also for his son, Seif al-Islam Gaddafi, and Libyan intelligence chief Abdullah al-Senussi on charges of crimes against humanity on opponents of the regime. According to the Guardian, Sanji Monogeng of Botswana, the presiding judge of the Hague-based ICC, said there is evidence of “a consistent modus operandi … an attack against the civilian population” and that the warrants are necessary to prevent a “cover-up and more crimes.” She further stated that there are “reasonable grounds to believe” that Gaddafi, his son, and Sanoussi are “criminally responsible as indirect co-perpetrators” for the murder and persecution of Libyans in the early days of the popular revolt against Gaddafi’s 40-year rule.

Monageng emphasized that the warrants are not proof of guilt for the three men, who would have to be tried in court. Gaddafi and his forces are accused of shooting at civilians at demonstrations and funeral processions and of ordering snipers to fire on people leaving mosques, says NPR. While these attacks are believed to have occurred in the early days after the revolt broke out on February 15, prosecutors believe that have continued.

The ICC was established in 2002 as a permanent court for trying those accused of war crimes, crimes against humanity and genocide, if the accused’s own country was either unable or unwilling to do so.

On May 16, the ICC’s chief prosecutor, Luis Moreno-Ocampo, had submitted a 74-page dossier of evidence focusing on incidents in Benghazi, Misurata and Tripoli from February 15-20. Following his submission to the court, Moreno-Ocampo said:

“Gaddafi’s plan expressly included the use of lethal force against demonstrators and dissidents.

“Methods used to torture alleged dissidents have included tying electric wires around victims’ genitals and shocking them with electricity and whipping victims with an electric wire after tying them upside down with a rope connected to a stick.”

As Care2 blogger Judy Molland wrote yesterday, among the documents are Gaddafi’s orders “to bombard and starve the people of Misrata.” The UN Security Council has ordered the court to continue to investigate the violence in Libya.

The head of Libya’s opposition National Transitional Council expressed his support for the warrants, says Al Jazeera. As the NTC has “made it clear that the door has been shut to any peaceful political settlement of this conflict,” the fear remains that Gaddafi — “now is a prisoner in his own country” — will hold out to the very end; to death.

Others also think that the warrants could worsen the possibility of a negotiated solution to the conflict. As NPR notes, while the warrant will be sent to Libya it is “large symbolic” as the ICC lacks a police force and has a “patchy record” on actually detaining suspects:

It is unclear how the warrant could restrict Gadhafi’s travels within Africa, since many African states are not ICC signatories and others have declined to act on an ICC arrest warrant for another African leader, Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir. The Sudanese leader was on his way to China at Beijing’s invitation when the warrant was announced for Gadhafi.

The warrants turn the three men into internationally wanted suspects, potentially complicating any efforts to mediate an end to more than four months of intense fighting in the North African nation.

Even before the warrant was read out in the Hague, the Gaddafi regime in Tripoli had rejected it and said the Libyan leader is in “high spirits” and in day-to-day control of the country.” On the other hand, at a meeting of African Union leaders in Pretoria, South Africa, Gaddafi had said he would not take part in negotiations to end the conflict.

The announcement of the warrant coincides with the 100th day of NATO’s campaign of airstrikes, says the Guardian; China and Russia have been “unhappy” with the NATO bombing. As the New York Times says, NATO could now “expand its mandate” to include Gaddafi, his son and his intelligence chief although doing so would required that NATO leaders “revise their current policy of limiting alliance action to aerial attacks,” and certainly if any “any overt or covert operations to track down the suspects” were implemented.

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He's obviously not a nice guy and I hate to say it but this is just more American Imperialism. After he got burned by Goldman Sacs to the tune of around 1 billion he tried to make the oil companies pay him in gold for oil so he could set up his own reserve currency like the dollar or euro. Turns out our boy Gaddafi ain't the sharpest tool in the shed after all. If you threaten corporate profits, especially oil, bad things can happen, think banana republic. Don't want to pay $5 for a banana, no problem, a little regime change is just what the doctor ordered. Don't want Gaddafi setting up his own reserve currency for the Middle East, no problem. In a real Capitalist world any country is supposed to able to charge what the market will bear and decide it's own fiscal policy without our help. Still, he's not a nice guy and gold for oil, hmmm...suddenly it all makes sense. To bad the Libyan people won't be getting their free health care and education, never mind the new car Gaddafi gave to all newlyweds etc, etc. Well thank God oil profits keep rolling in....so it's not a total wash.

Another case of might is right. Since America is mighty it is on the right despite the fact that Americans killed hundreds of thousands of children and civilians in Iraq, Afghanistan and Pakistan. NATO is bombing civilians as you read this. But no war crimes court is going to issue a warrant for NATO officers or the preseident of America.

And as for the fact that Soldiers are being given Viagra to rape their own women which may include their own families, is a bucket of pee. America can't even come up credible arguments even. and that possibly may be because Americans are still buying these ludacrious stories without question. consider the stright forward fact that Americans were able to believe that people living in far off deserts, barefoot, naked and starving were a threat to America and its freedom. not only did America believed these cock and bull stories, it funded the wars with their tax money almost to the point of bringing America to bankruptcy. and Yet they refuse to beleive that the cause was wrong even though weapons of mass destruction were never found, Osama was not killed in Afghanistan or even if he was killed at all.

Not only is the gulliability of the Americans endless, their memories are also short. American soldiers raped their own soldiers, men and women serving with them as well as civilians. But no one raised allegations about them or issued warrants.

The international crimes court is a Kangroo court, biased and incredible.

I feel ashamed at International Criminal Court for issuing arrest warrant for Gaddafi for war crimes what is NATO is doing killing innocent people destroying once a peace full country by interfering in internal affairs of another country and what about former American President Bush and his cronies who are established war criminals why have you not issued arrest warrants you talk of justice no one should be above the law first issue warrant for Bush .As for giving Viagra to its soldiers to rape their own women is nothing more then a biggest lies on which American Govt and it allies find excuse to kill innocent Muslims and invade the countries that what they did in IRAQ if you believe in Justice then first get arrest Bush and his cronies who are war criminals Ask BUSH where is WMD did the find a single piece

WAS IT EVER SO? AND WILL CONTINUE THROUGH THE AGE. NOTHING CHANGES REALLY ... NAMES AND LOCATIONS OF OFFENDERS, FEEL-GOOD GESTURES OF CLEANUP, POSSIBILITY OF NEGOTIATION ... IN THE END THE PHRASE "SPINNING YOUR WHEELS" COMES TO MIND AND THE CIRCLE OF LIFE AS WE KNOW IT CONTINUES.

The Westerners really do not like Ghadafi at all. Actually dictators like Ghadafi, Mubarak and Mugabe should be served warrants for crimes against humanity. But only Ghadafi is served. Well, he definitely played with a lot of fire in Europe..., Lockerbie disaster, Berlin nightclub bombing, and various other terrorists activities have definitely caused him to be favourably served. The ICC should be more transparent, especially when its an organization that respects human dignity, justice and the rule of law.

please dont be fooled into this propaganda, Gadaffi is maybe not the best leader but he has not killed innocent people, NATO has though, bombing areas where children are & civilians.
the same happened when America wanted Kuwaitis oil, tell the public they are killing their own people to get support, then bomb them into submission, establish oil lines and America is happy with its new free oil supply.
This is not directed at blaming Americans, the heart of the matter is the power corporations have to overrule laws, just look at the history of war generated for profit, it wont take you long if you look with an open heart.
i cant stand to see people lied to everyday on the news.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ol9A4OMpfD8

warning this is a graphic link of the violence caused by bombing Libya
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OYKY2F8jy4U&has_verified=1&skipcontrinter=1

just listed to George Galloway a hero of politics.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ua3GulFn5e0